Apparatus for cleaning tanks



Sept. 27, 1966 M. A. SAAD APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TANKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001'.- 18. 1965 FIG- 3 [IIIIJ FIG 4 INVENTOR. MICHEL A. SAAD M AW/7 Sept. 27, 1966 M. A. SAAD 3,275,241

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TANKS Filed Oct. 18, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 2 INVENTOR.

MICHEL A. SAAD BY 5b r -J A17 Sept. 27, 1966 M. A. SAAD 3,275,241

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TANKS Filed Oct. 18, 1965 S-Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG..?

FIG-5 INVENTOR. MICHEL A. SAAD BY%M(%7 United States Patent 3,275,241 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TANKS Michel A. Saad, 2676 Newhall St., Apt. 31, Santa Clara, Calif. Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,423 8 Claims. (Cl. 239227) This invention relates to a water jet cleaning device for washing out shipping and storage tanks.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 364,153 filed May 1, 1964.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved device which is water rotated and which is constructed to direct two or more jets of cleaning solution over the inside surfaces of shipping or storage tanks to wash and clean the insides thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device having improved bearings and seals whereby improved operation is obtained and the life of the device is increased.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device utilizing a bearing assembly which is a combination of a thrust bearing and face seal in which the face sealing material and bearing material is made of a plastic including tetrafluoroethylene polymer, and the sealing action is accomplished by hydraulic pressure.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device which is provided with a threaded coupling member for connecting it to the fluid supply, said coupling member being connected to a thrust bearing and bevel gear arrangement which is stationary and about which this device rotates during the operation thereof, said device also being provided with a similar thrust bearing and bevel gear combination on the nozzle side of the device, both of the thrust bearings being provided with O-ring seals whose main function is to prevent dirt, cleaning solution and other foreign material from entering the thrust bearings.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device with clutch means engaging the nozzle head which allows free rotation of the nozzle head, the clutching of the nozzle head being responsive to hydraulic pressure.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device utilizing a turbine and reduction gearing in which the drive shaft of the turbine is provided with a seal and bearing made of a material including plastic, such as tetrafiuoroethylene polymer, to prevent the cleaning solution from entering the reduction gear box. The bearing is also provided with an O-ring seal inside thereof engaging the drive shaft.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device provided with a casting which is made in one piece so as to reduce the weight thereof, said casting also being provided with a passageway therethrough of comparably large diameter which may be lined with corrosion-resisting material, said passageway having few obstructions and no sharp bends.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device that is provided with a reduction gearing in the drive arrangement thereof, said reduction gearing being housed in a sealed gear box provided with oil lubrication and inside bearings except on the input and output shafts thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device in which the cleaning solution, shortly after leaving the turbine drive of the device, is guided by flow-straightening devices so 3,275,241 Patented Sept. 27, 1966 that the lengths of the nozzles of the device may be made as short as possible.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device that is provided with a one-piece casting used for the housing thereof, said casting also being provided with circular guards extending around the bevel gears, one of said gears engaging an O-ring in the guard therefor to seal this gear within this guard, the other gear also being sealed with a circular cover and O-ring.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device in which the turbine drive thereof is provided with a shaft that is supported only by two bearings so as to allow better aligning of the shaft.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device in which one of the gears in the gear box is provided with a shear pin which is used as a safety feature if the device strikes an object while the clutch is engaged, resulting in a high torque on the nozzles.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic tank cleaning device in which the water after leaving the turbine drive of the device is guided by flow-straightening devices which straighten the flow of the cleaning solution, said devices starting with a web up stream of the nozzle housing of this device which extends into the nozzle support.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawings in which, briefly:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view showing the nozzles of this device;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the turbine;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 2 showing the water flow straighteners;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a view eliminating the gear box cover to show the speed reduction gear train.

Referring to the drawing in detail, reference numeral 10, designates the housing of this device which may be made in one piece by casting suitable metals or alloys such as various types of bronze, stainless steel or the like, or plastics with suitable fillers. This housing is provided with an elbow-shaped cavity 11 therein, one end of this cavity is threaded to receive the tubular bushing 12 which is treaded thereinto. The housing 10 is provided with a gear box 13 in which the reduction gearing 14, which will be described hereinafter, is positioned. The gear box 13 is provided with a cover 13a attached to the gear box by screw 13]). An O-ring 130, made of neoprene or the like, is placed in a circular groove in the cover 13a to prevent oil leakage from the gear box. The housing 10 is also provided with projecting guards 15 and 15a in which the bevel gears 18 and. 24, respectively, are positioned so that they are enclosed thereby.

This device is provided with a threaded member 16 for connecting it to a conventional supply pipe which supports the device in the tank being cleaned and through which the cleaning solution is provided to the device. The member 16 is provided with a flange through which a plurality of holes are formed for receiving the bolts or machine screws which are used for attaching the member 16 to the bevel gear 18. Thus, the coupling member 16 is rigidly attached to the bevel gear 18 with respect to which bushing 12 is rotatable. Bushing 12 is threaded int-o the housing so that the passage through this sleeve is aligned with the cavity 11 in the housing. The seating of bushing 12 in the housing is machined to ensure aligning of the passageway therethrough without any clearance in the seat. The bevel gear 18 is enclosed by the flange member 15 provided to the housing. An O-ring 18a is positioned in a circular groove in the guard 15 and forms a seal with the bevel gear 18.

The bushing 12 is provided with a flange 12a extending radially therefrom near the outer end thereof, and an annular cavity is provided between this flange and the bevel gear 18 for receiving the ring-shaped seal and hearing 17. The bearing 17 is made of a material including plastic, such as tetrafluoroethylene polymer, designated in commerce as Teflon or the like impregnated with powdered metal, glass, graphite or the like. The ring member 17 functions as a bearing between the coupling member 16 and the bushing 12. O-ring 16b, made of neoprene or the like, is provided as a seal between member 16 and bushing 12 to prevent dirt, cleaning solution and foreign matter from entering the bearing. O-ring 16b is positioned in a circular groove formed in the coupling member 16, and this O-ring forms a seal with the bushing 12 near its outer end.

This device is provided with a nozzle supporting member or head 19 to which the nozzles 20 and 20a are attached by suitable threads. Member 19 is provided with an annular flange 22 which has a groove 22a formed in the outer surface thereof for receiving the clutch segments 21. These segments are semicircular, as shown in FIG. 1, to permit positioning them in groove 22a, and they are attached by bolts 21a to bevel gear 24. The bevel gear 24 and the ring gear 25 are attached to each other by machine screws 24a. Bevel gear 24 and ring gear 25 are rotatable with respect to the housing 10 around the neck 10a of the housing which fits into the ring gear 25. The inside of this neck 10a is threaded to receive the threads of the bushing 26 whereby this bushing is attached to the housing. The seating of bushing 26 in the housing is machined to ensure aligning of the passageway therethrough without any clearance in the seat.

The bushing 26 is also provided with a radially extend ing flange 26a near the outer end thereof, and the ringshaped bearing 23 is positioned between this flange 26a and the bevel gear 24. The ring-shaped member 23 is also made of plastic material such as Teflon or the like, impregnated with powdered metal, glass, graphite or the like, which forms an efficient long-wearing bearing surface. An additional seal in the form of an O-ring 22b, made of neoprene or the like, is provided to prevent dirt, cleaning solution and foreign matter from entering the bearing. O-ring 22b is positioned in a circular groove formed in the flange member 22 of the nozzle-supporting head. Cover 27 is attached to guard 15a by suitable screws, as shown in FIG. 1. O-ring 27a, positioned in a groove formed in the cover 27, forms a seal with bevel gear 24. While impregnated plastic bearings are definitely better, ball bearings of suitable alloys such as Monel or stainless steel may be substituted for the plastic impregnated rings 17 and 23. However, ball bearings will not function as seals, and if they are used, then the O-rings must be used for sealing purposes.

The drive shaft 28 is supported in the housing by a bearing 31 which is made of impregnated Teflon or the like, as previously described in connection with bearings 17 and 23, and the ball bearing 34 which is positioned in a recess in the cover plate 13a attached to the gear box which encloses the reduction gearing train 14. The turbine 29, which is positioned in the bushing 12, is threaded to shaft 28 by threads which correspond to the direction of rotation so that the turbine will not become loose during rotation. The turbine 29 is positioned downstream of the vanes 30 which guide the cleaning solution to the turbine blades. The vanes 30 may also function as a strainer.

The bearing 31 is in the form of a long sleeve, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and an O-ring 32 is provided in this bearing 31 to reduce the tendency of liquid passing along the shaft 28 through the bearing and into the gear box enclosing the gear train 14 in which the pressure is relatively low. The hole 10b provided in the casting and connected to the outside is to ensure that any leakage past the O-ring 32 does not enter the gear box. Opposite hole 1% a groove is provided in bearing 31 to ensure all liquid leaking past O-ring 32 to be drained to the outside. Thus, this groove also acts as a seal. The oil seal 33 on the gear box side is provided to prevent any oil leakage to the outside of the gear box.

The shaft 28 is provided with a worm 36 which meshes with the gear 37 that is pinned to the shaft 37a, which is journaled in the walls of the gear box, and one end of which is provided with ball bearing 47. The worm 38 is pinned or keyed to the shaft 37a, and this worm meshes with gear 39, which is positioned behind the worm 38 on shaft 37a and is shown in broken outline in FIG. 7. The gear 39 is pinned by the shear pin 41 to the shaft 40, which is also journaled in the walls of the gear box, and which extend out of the gear box. Ball bearing 48 is provided to shaft 40 adjacent to seal arrangement including O-rings 43 and 45. The pinion gear 42 is an integral part of the shaft 40. O-ring 43 is provided around the shaft 40 and is positioned in an inner groove in threaded ring 44, and another O-ring 45 is positioned in a groove formed in the outer surface of ring 44. The O-rings 43 and 45 function to prevent oil from leaking out of the gear box 13 and water from entering said gear box from the outside. An alternative structure taking the place of these O-rings is an oil seal such as the oil seal 33, positioned around the shaft 28. Bearing 49 for shaft 37a is threaded into the gear box as shown in FIG. 7, and a gasket 46 provides a seal between bearing 49 and the gear box 13. The pinion gear 42 meshes with ring gear 25 that is attached to the bevel gear 24 and to the clutch 21.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows:

The water or cleaning fluid is given a tangential component of velocity or acquires an angular momentum by the guide vanes 30 positioned upstream of the turbine 29. The blades of the turbine 29 are inclined such that most of the angular momentum is absorbed by the turbine. The water then flows through the main cavity 11, and its flow is straightened by means of the flow straighteners 19a, which is a part of the casting of the nozzle housing 19, and additional flow-straightening members 20b positioned just ahead of the tapered nozzles; thus, the jets leave the nozzles 20 and 20a in a substantially straight direction, and the degree of divergence is minimized.

The turbine drives the shaft 28 at a relatively high speed, and this is reduced by means of two sets of Worms and gears which are positioned in the gear box 13. The output of the gear box drives the pinion gear 42, which meshes with the spur gear 25. This drives the bevel gear 24, which meshes with the stationary bevel gear 18 and thus provides for roation of this device about its vertical axis.

Hydraulic pressure inside of the nozzle head 19 tends to force the head away from housing 10 and thus cause the clutch 21 to grip surfaces of groove 22a, thus causing the clutch 21, which is attached to the gear 24, to rotate the nozzle head 19 as an integral part with gear 24. Nozzles 20 and 20a are thus rotated about the horizontal axis.

Bevel gear 25 is provided either with a lesser or a greater number of teeth than bevel gear 18 so that the Water jets from the nozzles 20 and 20a are directed to different surfaces of the tank for each revolution thereof. It is preferred that the number of teeth in these bevel gears differ by one.

Plastic impregnated bearing 31 of the shaft 28 has the O-ring 32 imbedded in the bearing to prevent leakage, also a hole 10b is provided in the casting connected to the,

outside and located after the O-ring 32 to insure that no fluid enters the gear box from the main cavity 11. The oil seal 33 on the gear box side is provided to prevent any oil leakage to the outside of the gear box.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that its scope should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for washing the interior of a ship tank and the like, said apparatus being adapted to be suspended in the tank by a fluid supply conduit, comprising the combination of a housing having a curved main cavity, said main cavity having an inlet and an outlet, stationary coupling means having one end connected to a fluid supply conduit, means including a first thrust bearing means rotatably supporting said housing on said coupling member so that said coupling member is connected to said inlet of said rotatable housing, said coupling means having a bevel gear attached thereto, said bevel gear engaging said first thrust bearing means, cleaning fluid nozzle means including a nozzle head, means including a second thrust bearing means for rotatably supporting said nozzle means on said outlet of said housing, a second bevel gear associated with said nozzle head and meshing with said first mentioned bevel gear, said housing having means engaging the peripheral portions of said bevel gears providing bearing surfaces for said bevel gears, clutch means responsive to hydraulic pressure in said cavity, said clutch means coupling said nozzle head to said second bevel gear, said clutch means comprising a member attached to said second bevel gear engaging said nozzle head on the outside thereof, and means responsive to fluid flowing through said cavity rotating said nozzle head with respect to said housing and said housing with respect to said coupling means, said means responsive to fluid flow including said bevel gears and said clutch means, said bevel gears having different predetermined numbers of teeth so that the jets of cleaning fluid directed from said nozzles against the interior surfaces of said tank progressively impinge on different areas of said tank surfaces as said nozzle means is rotated with respect to said housing and said housing is rotated with respect to said coupling means so that the entire surface of said tank is covered with cleaning fluid during a cycle of operation.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said member of said clutch means comprises a pair of substantially semicircular members engaging said nozzle head in a groove formed therein, said substantially semicircular members being removably attached to said second bevel gear.

3- pparatus as se f r h i cla m 2 f rthe haracterized in that the outlet of said housing is provided with a bushing having a flange thereon and said last mentioned thrust bearing is positioned between this bushing flange and the second bevel gear.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further char acterized in that said nozzle head is provided with a passageway connected with the outlet of said main cavity and liquid flow straightening baffle means is provided in said passageway.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said peripheral portions of said bevel gears are sealed by O-rings positioned between said peripheral portions and the means of said housing which engage said peripheral portions.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said means responsive to fluid flow includes a speed reduction gear train provided with an output shaft driven by a gear of said train mounted thereon and connected thereto by a shear pin which is adapted to shear 01? in case an excessive torque is applied to said nozzle means tending to rotate said nozzle means.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said means responsive to fluid flow through said cavity comprises a turbine, a shaft extending between said turbine and a gear box, said shaft supporting said turbine adjacent to said inlet, a speed reduction gear train in said gear box having the input thereof connected to said shaft, a bearing comprising a wear-resistant plastic positioned on said shaft, said bearing of wearresistant plastic extending substantially from said turbine to said gear box and an oil seal positioned on said shaft in said gear box adjacent to said wear-resistant plastic bearing.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 further characterized in that the shaft bearing includes a polymer of tetrafluoroethylene, said shaft bearing having an internal groove against said shaft, said housing wall having an opening therein leading from said shaft to the outside of said housing to provide an exit for any fluid leaking along said shaft past said O-ring from said main cavity.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,661,241 12/ 1953 Veneziano 239227 2,714,080 7/1955 Kennedy et al. 239227 X 2,766,065 10/1956 Joyslen 239227 2,917,243 12/ 1959 Lione 239227 2,992,781 7/1961 Howard 239256 X 3,056,709 10/ 1962 Rising et a1 308*238 X M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

V. C. WILKS, Assistant Examiner, 

1. APPARATUS FOR WASHING THE INTERIOR OF A SHIP TANK AND THE LIKE, SAID APPARATUS BEING ADAPTED TO BE SUSPENDED IN THE TANK BY A FLUID SUPPLY CONDUIT, COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A HOUSING HAVING A CURVED MAIN CAVITY, SAID MAIN CAVITY HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET, STATIONAY COUPLING MEANS HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO A FLUID SUPPLY CONDUIT, MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST THRUST BEARING MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID HOUSING ON SAID COUPLING MEMBER SO THAT SAID COUPLING MEMBER IS CONNECTED TO SAID INLET OF SAID ROTATABLE HOUSING, SAID COUPLING MEANS HAVING A BEVEL GEAR ATTACHED THERETO, SAID BEVEL GEAR ENGAGING SAID FIRST THRUST BEARING MEANS, CLEANING FLUID NOZZLE MEANS INCLUDING A NOZZLE HEAD, MEANS INCLUDING A SECOND THRUST BEARING MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID NOZZLE MEANS ON SAID OUTLET OF SAID HOUSING, A SECOND BEVEL GEAR ASSOCIATED WITH SAID NOZZLE HEAD AND MESHING WITH SAID FIRST MENTIONED BEVEL GEAR, SAID HOUSING HAVING MEANS ENGAGING THE PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF SAID BEVEL GEAR PROVIDING BEARING SURFACES FOR SAID BEVEL GEARS, CLUTCH MEANS RESPONSIVE TO HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IN SAID CAVITY, SAID CLUTCH MEANS COUPLING SAID NOZZLE HEAD TO SAID SECOND BEVEL GEAR, SAID CLUTCH MEANS COMPRISING A MEMBER ATTCHED TO SAID SECOND BEVEL GEAR ENGAGING SAID NOZZLE HEAD ON THE OUTSIDE THEREOF, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO FLUID FLOWING THROUGH SAID CAVITY ROTATING SAID NOZZLE HEAD WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOUSING AND SAID HOUSING WITH RESPECT TO SAID COUPLING MEANS, SAID MEANS RESPONSIVE TO FLUID FLOW INCLUDING SAID BEVEL GEARS AND SAID CLUTCH MEANS, SAID BEVEL GEARS HAVING DIFFERENT PREDETERMINED NUMBERS OF TEETH SO THAT THE JETS OF CLEANING FLUID DIRECTED FROM SAID NOZZLES AGAINST THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID TANK PROGRESSIVELY IMPINGE ON DIFFERENT AREAS OF SAID TANK SURFACES AS SAID NOZZLE MEANS IS ROTATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOUSING AND SAID HOUSING IS ROTATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID COUPLING MEANS SO THAT THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF SAID TANK IS COVERED WITH CLEANING FLUID DURING A CYCLE OF OPERATION. 